In a given year, estimates Patricia Selinger, the school's registrar, there might be as many as several dozen students from First Nations as far away as B.C. and the Maritimes, not an insignificant number for a school of roughly 300, offering little by way of native culture, deeply imbued with Catholic values -- Sunday Mass is mandatory -- and charging tuition running $17,000 a year for in-province students and nearly $24,000 for those outside.

"I'm sure every main leader from all the main bands has sent their kids here. We've had the Fontaines, the Bellegardes, the Sandersons, the Montours and Hills from the Six Nations, the Ahenakews, the Goodstrikers from Alberta," says Terry O'Malley, the school's former president who taught there since 1978.

Too many tribes have too many chiefs and not enough Indians to put it bluntly.Too much yakking and not enough action.This is why many have left the reserves and arent wallowing in self pity.Being half native myself i feel for them,but this country offers great opportunity if you work hard for it,maintain your composure when faced with adversity,racism and fear,and keep your head on straight.Sometimes an apple is just an apple.The Great Spirit would be most displeased to see how opportunistic some tribal elders have become with their own people.